One local grocery store made a change last week to conserve energy in its Greenville store.

Contractors in Super Foods spent three days changing overhead lighting that should save the store at least 34 percent in energy costs, according to James A. Scott, President of Energy & Lighting Consultants, Inc.

&#8220We actually do the consultation, design, installation and financing of the energy efficient system,” said Scott. &#8220If the customer is interested we do a no-cost survey of the facility and from that present a proposal. In that proposal it shows what the estimated existing maintenance costs are for lamps, ballasts, and labor. Then it will show what the energy savings will be.”

Not only does the new lighting provide more output than previously but Scott said the bulbs are also rated to last 1,500 hours, up from 1,200 over the old lamps.

Along with replacing the bulbs, workers also had to replace some wiring and the ballasts - devices utilized to control the amount of current flowing in an electric circuit. Contractors exchanged the heavier magnetic ballasts for electrical ones produced by Sylvania, according to Scott.

Scott also exhibited a unique bulb that was placed in the employees' restroom. The bulb, he said, not only provides more light, but also acts as a deodorizer and lasts approximately three years.

&#8220There's a lot of new technology today that greatly improves the lighting but still reduces the energy consumption,” he said.